1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flat display supporting mechanism for supporting a flat display on a portable input/output device such as a computer or word processor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Input/output devices such as computers and word processors are sometimes constructed to be portable, normally called lap-top or hand-held types of devices. These devices generally have a flat display formed in a flat plate profile which is pivotally supported for opening and closing on the body of the device (device body) which is also formed in a flat plate profile and has a keyboard provided thereon.
Conventional flat display supporting mechanisms used with an input/output devices of the type mentioned above are described as follows:
Referring first to FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C. These figures show an example of one conventional flat display supporting mechanism. An input/output device 1 has a device body 2 formed in a flat plate profile having a rectangular shape in plan. A parallelepiped-like projection 3 is formed at a rear portion of the device body 2 while a keyboard 4 is formed on an upper face of a front portion of the device body 2. A support shaft 5 is disposed at a front portion of the projection 3 of the device body 2 and extends transversely along the projection 3, and a flat display 6 having a flat plate profile is supported for pivotal motion around the support shaft 5. A display section 7, which may be a liquid crystal display panel, is formed on the flat display 6 such that it faces directly down towards the keyboard when the device 1 is closed, as seen in FIG. 4A. When closed the flat display 6 cooperates with the device body 2 to generally present a substantially parallelepiped shape, as seen in FIG. 4A.
With the input/output device 1 having the construction described above, when it is in the closed position wherein the flat display 6 lies down close to the keyboard 4 as shown in FIG. 4A, it can be carried conveniently.
On the other hand, when the input/output device 1 is to be used, the flat display 6 is pivoted, in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4A, around the support shaft 5 until it is stopped in an inclined position where the back of the display 6 is supported by the projection 3 of the device body 2 as seen in FIG. 4B or 4C. Consequently, the keyboard 4 is exposed, and the display section 7 of the flat display 6 is facing obliquely upwardly. Accordingly, desired operations can be performed with the input/output device 1 by operating keys of the keyboard 4 while observing the display section 7.
FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, show another example of a conventional flat display supporting mechanism. An input/output device 1 has a generally similar construction to the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C. It is only different in that a projection 3A of a device body 2 occupies a substantial portion of the rear half of the device body 2, that is, the projection 3A extends forward towards the keyboard 4 to a substantially central position of the device body 2. This causes the vertical dimension of a flat display 6A, having a display section 7A thereon, to be reduced when compared to the flat display 6 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C. The construction of the remaining parts of the input/output device 1 are similar to the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, and accordingly, description thereof is omitted herein to avoid redundancy.
The input/output device 1 of the construction shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C can be operated in a similar manner to that of the input/output device shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C.
The input/output devices shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 5B, and 5C, however, have the following drawbacks.
When the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, is used, the flat display 6 is spaced a great distance from the keyboard 4 as seen in FIGS. 4B and 4C. Consequently, the display section 7 of the flat display 6 is positioned far from an operator and cannot be observed well. Also, since the flat display 6 extends rearwardly farther than the rear end of the device body 2 as indicated by the dimension "a" in FIG. 4C, full opening of the flat display 6 may be hindered, when there is something behind the device body 2.
When the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 5C, is used, the flat display 6A is not spaced a great distance from the keyboard 4 nor does it extend rearwardly farther than the rear end of the device body 2. However, since the area of the front surface of the flat display 6A is smaller than that of the flat display 6 of the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the area of the display section 7A is smaller than that of the display section 7 of the input/output device 1 shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C. Consequently, a display image on the display section 7A is either proportionally smaller in size and cannot be observed well or provides a view of only a reduced portion of the image of anyone time, which is not preferred.